Friday, August 01, 2008

More Molland Nonsense

This isn't the first time this has happened nor will it be the last, but the author of a recent newspaper article was duped by Joey Molland. This article was positively riddled with inaccuracies, thanks to Joey. The following is the most noteworthy blather that is either direct quotes from Joey or paraphrases by reporter Ted Shaw. A link to the article is too long for this format, but it can be found by Googling "The Windsor Star" and "Badfinger."

(1) "Without much prompting, Molland will sound off at length on the subject of the band's demise. He reserves most of his ire for journalist Dan Matovina, whose unauthorized biography, Without You: The Tragic Story of Badfinger, is the only book to attempt to chronicle the band's history."The book is only singularly "unauthorized" by Joey Molland. Mike Gibbins, Bill Collins, the Ham Estate and the Evans Estate never labelled the book in such a manner (especially in light of the fact that all of those parties contributed to the book). And as I have often stated in the past, the bulk of official "authorized" biographies that I have read are fluff pieces, tailored to keep the biographical subjects happy rather than to tell the truth.

(2) "Matovina assembled his history from third-party interviews of those who knew or worked with Badfinger. Molland did not co-operate, and blames Matovina for cultivating vicious rumours. 'I wish someone would just tell the truth in print,' he said."

Joey's convoluted and inconsistent Badfinger anecdotes are the reason he can't get anyone to write his "truth" for him. But foremost, one need only read the Foreward of the book to know that Matovina did not "assemble his history from third-party interviews." Every member of the band had been interviewed by Matovina personally (with the exception of Pete Ham who died early on). Joey and his wife were both interviewed by Matovina in the late 1970s for other publications, and this material was later utilized in the book. Did you mention any of this to Ted Shaw, Joey?

(3) "One outright lie, he claimed, was the suggestion that Molland's wife, Kathie, hastened Badfinger's demise. In a scenario that sounds like it was plucked from the mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, it was alleged that Ham quit the band in 1974 because of Kathie Molland's increasing influence."The motivation for Pete Ham's resignation is hardly "alleged." In front of several witnesses, Pete clearly stated that Kathie Molland's meddling was the reason for his resignation. Joey even stated as much in DISCoveries Magazine in 1991: "Well, Pete stands up and says 'I don't want Kathie managing this band! I'm leaving.'" Did you mention this to Ted Shaw, Joey? Or are you trying to sell a new story these days?

(4) "Molland denies his wife had any involvement. On the contrary, it was Ham who created the rift by striking up a solo deal with Badfinger's manager at the time, Stan Polley."

According to every quoted source, Pete never sought any solo deal. Stan Polley sought a solo deal for Pete during the brief period after he had quit the band. There is no indication Pete was even aware of what Polley was doing at the time. For Joey to now claim Pete created a rift in the band by seeking a solo deal is beyond incredible.

(5) "'I f***ing deny it all and challenge you to find any f***ing evidence my wife called any agents or did any business for us,' Molland said. 'I'd f***ing bet you $1,000 right now to find anything that backs that up.'"

Joey admitted in Discoveries Magazine that it was a telephone call his wife made to Warner Brothers in L.A. and that her past inquiries into the band's business prompted Pete's resignation. Kathie Molland takes credit for doing this during her extensive interviews for the Molland-endorsed video documentary, along with bragging about all sorts of other business intrusions. Good golly, Joey, the evidence is right from your very own mouths! You may send the $1,000 to my Paypal account

(6) "In fact, Molland and his wife are both working on memoirs which one day, he promised, will set the record straight."

Straight, like this article is straight? Anyway, The Mollands have been making this claim for 20 years and they have yet to release any such memoirs. All of their projects have fallen flat and the reason seems obvious: Publishers don't appear interested in their various illogical, inconsistent, self-serving accounts. A publisher need only do a scant amount of research to discover the Mollands can't keep even their simplest facts straight.

A comprehensive Badfinger story has already been published that brings all the pieces together; a biography that is consistent, logical, evidentiary and well sourced. Hopefully, Ted Shaw will somehow learn from his myopia, and the next reporter will question the integrity and honesty of his subject before running with whatever gibberish is laid on his plate.